Ignition-switch lock



April 8, 1930. F. w. ANDREW ET AL 1,753,734

IGNITION SWITCH LOCK Filed Sept. 29, 1927 Q 1 .5 o o 3 1 25 E 965 5 i 503 f4 65 60 y@ IK/lll willi/11111.

31 y' A T70 Nay f 36g? Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IGNITION-SWITCH LOCK.

Our invention relates to ignition switch locks of a character in which When the switch is moved into open or off posit-ion it is automatically locked in such position.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a switch of simple construction in which the contacts by means of which the ignition circuit is opened and closed are slidably related to each other.

It also is an object of the invention to provide a construction in which one of the contacts of the switch is mounted upon a reciprocatory lock structure and is adapted to -be reciprocated therewith to effect the opening and closing of the said switch.

It is a further object of the invention to provide one of the contacts of the switch wit-h means whereby upon the movement thereof into oil position certain portions of the ignition circuit are grounded.

To these and other ends the invention comprehends the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described in detail, particularly pointed out in the claims and as illustrated in the drawing in which we have illustrated one form of mechanical embodimentof the invention. However, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in forms of construction other than that shown and that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention or thc principle thereof.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated, reference should be had tothe accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal central sec. tion of an ignition switch lock structure embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the co-operative parts thereof shown in different relative positions with respect to each other;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view in sectional side elevation ot' a fragmentary portion of the structure showing more clearly certain details of construction.

In the drawing we have shown a switch casing 1 removably supported Within a split sleeve 2, permanently mounted Within a split tubular support 4, having ears 5 secured by rivets 6 to the dash-board or plate 7 of metal of an automobile, truck or the like. Instead of employing rivets for securing the cars 5 to the plate 7, they may be secured thereto by any other means, as by spot welding. The split sleeve 2 is secured to the tubular support 4 preferably by spot welding as indicated at 10. The opposite ends of the sleeve 2 are free from the tubular support 4 and are provided with projections or ears 11 which extend laterally through a slot or notch 12 in the rear edge of the tubular sup port 4. The ears or projections 11 are provided with openings therethrough through which a bolt 13 extends, provided with a head at one end and screw threads at the other, for the reception of a nut 14, which is adjustable. By tightening the nut 14 the split sleeve 2 may be clamped upon the switch casing 1 to hold thereon and by loosening the said nut, the said casing may be removed if desired, unless it be locked to the said sleeve in the manner hereinafter described. A

Mounted within the switch casing l is a. block of insulating material 20 of elongated shape, the surface of one side of which is cylindrical as indicated at 21. which contacts with a portion of the cylindrical interior surface of the switch casingv 1. The opposite side of the said block is provided with square cornered grooves 22. which extend longitudinally thereof. The cylindrical surface 21 is provided with a projection 23, which when the block 20 is in place as shown in the drawing, projects outwardly through an opening 24 in the switch casing 1. The block 20 is wedged and held in place by means of a wedge 25, which in cross section is subst-antially semicircular in shape. The opposite r edges of the wedge 25 are tapered as shown and rest against the bottoms of the notches 22. After the block is placed in position with the projection 23 extending through the opening 24, the wedge being tapered as shown,

the same in stationary position may readily be removed should occasion require.

A stationary contact30 is mounted upon the front portion of the block 2O intermediate the grooves 22. A binding post 31 extends through an opening 32 extending through the projection 23 and partly through the block 20. The post 31 is provided with a reduced end portion whichvextends through the remaining through the contact 30 and is upset as indicated at contact 30 permanently' to the said block. The post 31 is providedwith a screw threaded opening 36 adapted to receive a binding screw 37 to which one end of a conducting wire '38 lis connected, the opposite end of which is connected to one end orside of a primary coil 39 of a transformer, the opposite end of which is connected to the positive side of a battery 40, theopposite side of which is grounded as vindicated at 41.

The contact 30 is provided with a bent, raised portion 45 with which one side 46 of a U shaped contact 47' is adapted to contact. The opposite side 48 of the said U shaped contact is adapted to contact with the contact portion 49 of a spring contact 50, mounted at its-inner end upon the rear end of the block 2O and being secured thereto by meansf of a fastening screw 51. The `U shaped contact 47 extends over and incloses the upper and lower sides of the inner end of a sheet 53 of linsulating material and is secured thereto by means of rivets 54. `At its opposite end the sheet 53 of insulating material is secured by rivets 55 to the forwardly extending portion 56 of a bent metal connection, the opposite transverse extending vportion 57 of which is secured by means of. binding screws 59 to the inner end of 'a lock cylinder 60, mounted in the front or forward end portion of the switch casing 1. The said lock cylinder is adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardly in the said casing. The back and forth movement of the lock cylinder 60 is limited by means of a screw 60n secured in the side thereof and projecting into a slot 60" provided in the innerside of the casing 1. the said screw and slot being indicated by dash and dot llines in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

When the lock cylinder is moved inwardly within the casing 1 into locking position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, it compresses a spring 61 located between the lock cylinder and the opposing end ofthe block 11 of insulating material. When the cylinder is thus moved into locking position the lock bolt 65 which is pressed outwardly by a spring (which is not shown) within the lock cylinder engages openings 66 and 67 in the switch casing 1 and split sleeve 2 respectively as shown. When the lock cylinder is in the latter position the switch is in open or vlock cylinder 60 and is thereby portion of the block 20an d 33 to act as a rivet'for securing the opposed relation sulating material adapted to be moved back off position. At such time the contact portion 45 of the contact 30 is in contact with the underside of the sheet 53. of insulation, while the raised contact portion 49 of the contact 50 is in contact with the metal portion 56 which is supported upon the metal grounded. The lock bolt 65 is adapted to be disengaged from the openings 66 and 67 by means of a key indicated at 70 and when released the spring 61 which has been compressed by the pushing inwardly of the lock cylinder 60 expands and forcesthe lock cylinder out into the position indicated in Fig. 1.

The screw 51 previouslyreferred to also operates to hold the metal member in place upon the inner end of the block 20 of insulation and in contact with the front end portion of the contact 50. 'A conducting wire 76 is connected at its front end to'the member 75 and its opposite end to a timer indicated at When the lock cylinder 60 has been pushed inwardly into locked position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing with the portion 45 of the contact 30 in contact with the sheet 53 and with the portion 49 of the contact 50 in contact with the metal supporting portion 56, it will be apparent that the circuit from the battery through the coil 39, the line 38, the contacts 30,- 47 and 50 and the line 76, the timer and the ground are broken and it also will be apparent that the timer and conducting line or wire 76 are grounded through the contact 50, the lock'cylinder and the plate 7 so that it becomes impractical for anyone ex cept with a proper key to'complete'the through the battery and the timer. It will be noted that in the operation of the switch, the contacts thereof make sliding contact with each other in consequence of which they are kept clean and the formation .of deposits thereon is prevented. It follows that perfect contact is made at all times. y

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire'to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.v In an ignition switch lock the combination of a switch casing, a block of insulating material mounted in said casing, a wedge for retaining the said block within the'said casing, said wedge being of semi-circular shape, contacts stationarily mounted upon said block, and a contact slidably movable into and out of contact with the said stationarily mounted contacts.

2. In an ignition switch lock, thecombination of a switch casing, a block of insulating material mounted therein, contacts mounted on said block, which contacts are located in to each other, a sheet of inand forth between the said contacts, a contact carried by the said sheet and adapted to be interposed by the movements of said sheet circuit between the said first named contacts, and means for grounding one of the first named contacts when the movable contact carried by the said sheet of insulating material is moved out of contact with the contacts mounted upon the said block.

3. In an ignition switch lock for automobiles, the combination of a switch casing, a block of insulating material mounted therein, a contact carried by the said block, another contact carried by said block, a locking device mounted within the said switch casing and adapted to be reciprocated therein', a sheet of insulatin material carried by the said locking devlce and extending between saidy contacts, and a contact carried by said sheet of insulating material and adapted to be slidably moved into and out of contact with the rst named contacts by the movements of the said locking device out of and into locking position.

4. In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a casing havino' `an opening in one side thereof, a block oi., insulating material mounted in said casing having a projection thereon which extends through said opening, the opposite side portion of said block being provided with a couple of grooves located in the opposite edges thereof and in adjoining relation to adjoining portions of the sides of said casing, a wedge for retaining the said block within said casing, said wedge being of semi-circular shape, the opposite edges of which are in engagement with the bottoms of said grooves, and the opposite convex portion of said wedge being in contact with a portion of the said casing opposite the said block, contacts stationarily mounted upon the said block, and a contact adapted to be moved slidably with respect to the said stationarily mounted contacts into and out of engagement therewith to close and open the said switch.

5. In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a casing, a block of insulating material mounted within said casing, contacts mounted upon said block` the contact Aportions thereof being located in opposed relation to each other, a locking device mounted within said casing and adapted to be reciprocated therein, the said locking device having a thin metal member projecting inwardly therefrom, a sheet of insulating material mounted upon one side of said member and a U shaped contact mounted upon and inclosing the inner end of the said sheet ot insulating material. the outer end of the said last mentioned contact being spaced from the .said member. the said U shaped contact sliding into and out of contact with the tirst named contacts upon movement of the said locking device outwardly and inwardly within the said casing and the said member being in Contact with one of the tirst named coatacts whenv the said locking device is in its locking position.

. 6. In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a casing, a block of insulating material detachably mounted therein, a Contact stationarily mounted upon the said block, a second contact mounted upon the said block, the contact portions of said contacts being located in opposed relation with respect to each other, a locking device having locking means adapted to engage the said casing upon movement ofthe said locking device into locking position, the said locking device having upon its inner end an inwardly projecting thin metal member, a sheet of insulating material mounted upon one side of said member, the said sheet of insulating material extending inwardly between the contact portions of the said contacts, and contacts mounted upon the opposite sides of the inner` end portion of the said sheet of insulating material which contacts are electrically connected and the said last mentioned contacts being located between and in contact with the first named contacts when the said locking device is in its outermost unlocked position and being out of contact therewith when the said locking device is in its innermost locked position, and the said member in the latter position of said lock being in contact with the contact portion of one of the first named contacts.

7. In an ignition switch lock, the combination otI a switch casing, a block of insulating material mounted within said casing, a contact mounted upon said block. a second contact mounted upon said block, the Contact portions of said contacts being located in spaced parallel planes, a locking device located within the outer end po`rtion of said casing and having a metal member projecting inwardly from the inner end thereof, said locking device being movable inwardly and outwardly into locked and unlocked positions, a sheet of insulating material mounted upon said member and projecting inwardly between the contact portions of the said contacts and contacts mounted upon the opposite sides of the inner end portion of said sheet of insulating material. which contacts are electrically connected with each other, and the said last named contacts being slidably movable inwardly and outwardly with respect to the contact portions of the first named contacts out of and into contact therewith.

8. In an electric switch lock, the combination of a casing, a block of insulating material mounted within the inner end portion of said casing, a contact mounted upon the said block` a second contact mounted upon the said block, the contact portions of said contacts being located in opposed relation to each other, a locking device mounted and adapted to reciprocate within the outer end portion of the said casing,

inwardly extending projection of metal, a sheet of insulating material mounted upon the said member and extending inwardly between the contact portions of the said contacts, contacts mounted upon the opposite sides of the inner end portion of the said sheet of insulating material, which contacts are electrically connected with each other and the-said contacts adapted to be moved slidably into and out of contact with the contact portions of the irst named cont-acts upon the movement of the said locking device out of and into locking position, and a resilient yielding means located between the inner end of the said locking device and the outer end of the said insulatmg block, which means exerts a yielding pressure against the said locking device and tends to move and to hold the same in its outermost unlocked position.

9. In an ignition switch lock for automobiles, the combination of a tubular switch casing, a tubular support for detachably supporting said casing, contacts mounted within said casing, a locking device mounted within the front end portion of said casing and adapted to be moved axially of the said opening into' and out of locking position therein, and a contact carried by said locking device, which contact is adapted to be moved by the movements of said locking device into and out of contact with the first named contacts to close and open the ignition circuit, the

said locking device, when moved into position to open the switch, operating to lock the same in open position and to lock the said casing to its support.

10. In an ignition switch lock for automobiles, the combination of a tubular switch casing.y a tubular support for detachably supporting said casing, the said casing and the said supporthaving openings in their sides which are in registry with each other, contacts mounted within said casing, a locking device mounted within the front end portion of said casing and adapted to be moved axiallv thereof into and out of locking position therein, and a contact mounted upon the inner end of the said locking device which contact is ada ted to be moved by the movements of said locling device into and out of contact with the first named contacts to close and open the ignition circuit, the said locking device having meansI which, when the lock is moved into position to open the said switch, moves into engagement with the said openings to lock the switch in open position and to lock the said switch casing to its support.

11. In an ignition switch loci', the combination. of a switch casing, a bloei? of insulat ing material mounted in said casing, a wedge for retaining the said lblock erein. stationary contacts mounted upc-n the said block, and a contact adapted to be moved into and out of contact with the said stationary contacts.

12 In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a switch casing having an elongated block of insulating material mounted therein` a support for said casing, a Wedge mounted in said casin in engagement with the said block, means or retaining the said wedge within the said casing, a stationary contact mounted upon the said block, a contact adapted to be moved into and out of contact with the said stationar contact, and means for locking said mova le contact out of contact with the said stationary contact and for locking the said casing to its support.

13. In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a. switch casing, a block of insulating material mounted in said casing one side of which is provided with a couple of grooves located in the opposite edges thereof, a wed e for retaining the said block within the said casing said wedge being of semicircular shape, the opposite edges of which engage with the bottoms of the said grooves and the opposite converse portion of said wedge being in contact with a portion of the casing opposite the said block, a stationary contact mounted on said block, and a contact adapted to be moved into and out of engagement therewith.

14. In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a. switch casing, a block of insulating material mounted in said casing, one side of said block being provided with a couple of grooves located in the opposite edges thereof, a wedge for retaining the said block in the said casing, the said wedge being of semicircular shape the opposite edges of 4which engage with the bottoms of said grooves and the opposite convex portion of said wedge being in contact with a portion of said casing opposite the said block, a stationary contact mounted on said block, a contact adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the said stationary contact, a tubular su port for the said casing, and means for looging the said casing to the support and for locking the movable contact out o engagement with the said stationary contact.

In testimony whereof the said FREDERICK IV. ANDREW has hereunto signed his name this 13th day ot September, 1927, and the said 'WILSON HEMINGWAY, Jr., has hereunto signed his name this 21st day of September,

FREDERICK W. ANDREW. WILSON- HEMINGWAY, Jn. 

